Arda Bowser
Encyclopedia
Arda "Ard" Crawford Bowser (January 9, 1899 - September 7, 1996) was a professional football
player who spent two years of the National Football League
with the Canton Bulldogs
and the Cleveland Indians
. Bowser won an NFL championship with the Bulldogs in 1922
. In 1923
, he played for the Indians. He was the first NFL player to use the kicking tee. Arda was considered the last surviving member of the 1922 Canton Bulldogs team, when he died in 1996.
during World War I
, Bowser entered Bethany College
, however he transferred to Bucknell University
in 1920 where he also played college football
. At Bucknell, he received All-East and All-American honors. He was captain of the 1921 Bucknell football team and is considered one of the great kickers in the school’s history.
He received Honorable Mention on Walter Camp's
All-American team. Ross Kauffman, a noted football authority, to call Bowser "the greatest line 'cracker' in the country." That same year, Bowser made Kauffman's All-Pennsylvania College team and Kauffman's All-Eastern team as first team fullback
. He also made first team All-America on Frank G. Menke
's team and the New York Telegram's team. Arda led all eastern colleges in scoring in 1920 with a 102 points, most of which came from 13 TD's he scored.
In 1921, Bowser was Bucknell's captain and again led the East in scoring with 112 points. He was named first team All-America on Grantland Rice's
All-American team.
in 1922. At this time Bowser also played professional football for two teams at three positions: fullback, linebacker
and kicker. On a visit to Canton, Ohio
in 1922, Bowser sought out Ralph Hay
, the manager of the Bulldogs. Hay and Bowser agreed on a sum of $250 a game. However the Frankford Yellow Jackets
also sought out Bower's services. He ended up playing for both teams. On Saturdays, he played for the Yellow Jackets. The Bulldogs played on Sunday, and, because of Pennsylvania blue laws
, the Yellow Jackets played on Saturdays. So after the Yellow Jackets game, he would ride an overnight train for Canton, to play for the Bulldogs on Sundays. On one Thanksgiving weekend, he reportedly played 60 minutes of football in four consecutive games. 1922
was the first year that the NFL required everyone to sign a contract, instead of an oral agreement sealed by a handshake. One of the clauses in that contract was that a player could play for only one team in the `association' (league). That clause was aimed at eliminating team `hopping'. However Bowser still played with other teams that year besides Canton. The key words in that clause were `association team', and according to Bowser, he felt that teams not members of the NFL were exempt from this rule.
However most college officials tried to steer their personnel away from the pro game. This made Arda give up a coaching career in favor of playing professionally. In 1922 Arda won the 1922 NFL Championship with the Canton Bulldogs, when he was made the team's kicker, after Pete Henry injured his foot.
In 1923, Bowser got a job with the White Motor Company
in Cleveland, Ohio
. This led him to play for Cleveland Indians because he could also travel to Philadelphia to play with the Yellow Jackets. On again he found himself in a scenario whereone team played on Saturday and the other on Sunday. However the Indians could not draw in the crowds. When Cleveland played the Oorang Indians
, featuring Jim Thorpe
, the Cleveland manager thought he could promote his team by having Arda challenge Thorpe in a kicking competition. During the competition, Thorpe bested Bowser in punt
ing, while Bowser bested Thorpe in kicking. It was at this time, that Bowser became the first professional football player to use a tee for kicking. He designed the tee with the help of his coach from Bucknell, Pete Reynolds.
In 1924, the White Motor Company transferred Arda to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. There he served as a salesman for the area and was selected for supervisor training. However the company told Bowser that he had to give up playing football on the weekends or his job would be terminated. He decided that his job was too important. With a wife and new obligations, he could not give up his career. However Bowser still played on weekends, under an alias and playing for teams in small towns such as Mount Carmel
. His playing career officially ended after the 1924 season.
by NFL Films
. He was interviewed by Phil Tuckett. Tuckett later called Bowser "one of the easiest interviewees to work with."
To tie together the beginning and the present of the pro game, the NFL held a ceremony in which Bowser would stand next to the current NFL stars. The ceremony took place on first game of the 1994 season
in a game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and the Cincinnati Bengals
. It was decided that a Buccaneers' game would be the easiest for Bowser, now a resident of Winter Park, Florida
, to attend. The Buccaneers, went beyond just having Bowser on the field to turning the event into an appreciation ceremony for Bowser.
who played for the Chicago Cardinals in 1921-23 turned 100 in 1996. Neither Bowser nor the NFL, realized Horween was still alive.
minister. At the time of his death, a memorial service was held at the Montgomeryville Baptist Church in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania
, where Arda's father had been a pastor.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who spent two years of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the Canton Bulldogs
Canton Bulldogs
The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and its successor, the National Football League, from 1920 to 1923 and again from 1925 to 1926. The Bulldogs would go on to win the 1917, 1918...
and the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Bulldogs
The Cleveland Bulldogs was a team that played in Cleveland, Ohio in the National Football League. They were originally called the Indians in 1923, not to be confused with the Cleveland Indians NFL franchise in 1922...
. Bowser won an NFL championship with the Bulldogs in 1922
1922 NFL season
The 1922 NFL season was the 3rd regular season of what was now called National Football League . The NFL fielded 18 teams during the season, including new league teams such as the Milwaukee Badgers, the Oorang Indians, the Racine Legion, and the Toledo Maroons...
. In 1923
1923 NFL season
The 1923 NFL season was the 4th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time, all of the clubs that were considered to be part of the NFL fielded teams. The new teams that entered the league included the Duluth Kelleys, the St. Louis All Stars , and a new Cleveland Indians team...
, he played for the Indians. He was the first NFL player to use the kicking tee. Arda was considered the last surviving member of the 1922 Canton Bulldogs team, when he died in 1996.
College
After serving in the NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Bowser entered Bethany College
Bethany College
Bethany College may refer to a number of Bible schools, Bethany is the name of a Biblical village.* Bethany Bible College, New Brunswick, Canada* Bethany College , United States* Bethany College , Canada...
, however he transferred to Bucknell University
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
in 1920 where he also played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. At Bucknell, he received All-East and All-American honors. He was captain of the 1921 Bucknell football team and is considered one of the great kickers in the school’s history.
He received Honorable Mention on Walter Camp's
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
All-American team. Ross Kauffman, a noted football authority, to call Bowser "the greatest line 'cracker' in the country." That same year, Bowser made Kauffman's All-Pennsylvania College team and Kauffman's All-Eastern team as first team fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. He also made first team All-America on Frank G. Menke
Frank G. Menke
Frank Grant Menke was an American newspaper reporter, author, and sports historian. He wrote for the Hearst Newspapers from 1912 to 1932 and his articles appeared daily in 300 newspapers across the country. He was billed by the Hearst syndicate as "America's Foremost Sport Writer"...
's team and the New York Telegram's team. Arda led all eastern colleges in scoring in 1920 with a 102 points, most of which came from 13 TD's he scored.
In 1921, Bowser was Bucknell's captain and again led the East in scoring with 112 points. He was named first team All-America on Grantland Rice's
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
All-American team.
Pro career
In 1922, Bowser discovered that he used up his all of college football eligibility. He however stayed on to finish his degree requirements and assist head coach Pete ReynoldsPete Reynolds
-External links:...
in 1922. At this time Bowser also played professional football for two teams at three positions: fullback, linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and kicker. On a visit to Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in 1922, Bowser sought out Ralph Hay
Ralph Hay
Ralph E. Hay was the owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 until 1923. However he is mostly recognized for organizing the first meeting of teams that would later former the American Professional Football Association, later called the National Football League....
, the manager of the Bulldogs. Hay and Bowser agreed on a sum of $250 a game. However the Frankford Yellow Jackets
Frankford Yellow Jackets
The Frankford Yellow Jackets were a professional American football team, part of the National Football League from 1924 to 1931, though its origin dates back to as early as 1899 with the Frankford Athletic Association. The Yellow Jackets won the NFL championship in 1926...
also sought out Bower's services. He ended up playing for both teams. On Saturdays, he played for the Yellow Jackets. The Bulldogs played on Sunday, and, because of Pennsylvania blue laws
Blue Laws
The Blue Laws of the Colony of Connecticut, as distinct from the generic term "blue law" that refers to any laws regulating activities on Sunday, were the initial statutes set up by the Gov. Theophilus Eaton with the assistance of the Rev. John Cotton in 1655 for the Colony of New Haven, now part...
, the Yellow Jackets played on Saturdays. So after the Yellow Jackets game, he would ride an overnight train for Canton, to play for the Bulldogs on Sundays. On one Thanksgiving weekend, he reportedly played 60 minutes of football in four consecutive games. 1922
1922 NFL season
The 1922 NFL season was the 3rd regular season of what was now called National Football League . The NFL fielded 18 teams during the season, including new league teams such as the Milwaukee Badgers, the Oorang Indians, the Racine Legion, and the Toledo Maroons...
was the first year that the NFL required everyone to sign a contract, instead of an oral agreement sealed by a handshake. One of the clauses in that contract was that a player could play for only one team in the `association' (league). That clause was aimed at eliminating team `hopping'. However Bowser still played with other teams that year besides Canton. The key words in that clause were `association team', and according to Bowser, he felt that teams not members of the NFL were exempt from this rule.
However most college officials tried to steer their personnel away from the pro game. This made Arda give up a coaching career in favor of playing professionally. In 1922 Arda won the 1922 NFL Championship with the Canton Bulldogs, when he was made the team's kicker, after Pete Henry injured his foot.
In 1923, Bowser got a job with the White Motor Company
White Motor Company
White Motor Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer from 1900 until 1980. The company also produced bicycles, roller skates, automatic lathes, and sewing machines. Before World War II, the company was based in Cleveland, Ohio.-History:...
in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. This led him to play for Cleveland Indians because he could also travel to Philadelphia to play with the Yellow Jackets. On again he found himself in a scenario whereone team played on Saturday and the other on Sunday. However the Indians could not draw in the crowds. When Cleveland played the Oorang Indians
Oorang Indians
The Oorang Indians were a traveling team in the National Football League from LaRue, Ohio . The team was named after the Oorang dog kennels. It was a novelty team put together by the kennels' owner, Walter Lingo, for marketing purposes. All of the players were Native American, with Jim Thorpe as...
, featuring Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
, the Cleveland manager thought he could promote his team by having Arda challenge Thorpe in a kicking competition. During the competition, Thorpe bested Bowser in punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
ing, while Bowser bested Thorpe in kicking. It was at this time, that Bowser became the first professional football player to use a tee for kicking. He designed the tee with the help of his coach from Bucknell, Pete Reynolds.
In 1924, the White Motor Company transferred Arda to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. There he served as a salesman for the area and was selected for supervisor training. However the company told Bowser that he had to give up playing football on the weekends or his job would be terminated. He decided that his job was too important. With a wife and new obligations, he could not give up his career. However Bowser still played on weekends, under an alias and playing for teams in small towns such as Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania
Mount Carmel is the name of a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6390 at the 2000 census. It is located 88 miles northwest of Philadelphia and 71 miles northeast of Harrisburg, in the Anthracite Coal Region...
. His playing career officially ended after the 1924 season.
Post football
Over time, Bowse became an insurance executive. However a massive heart attack in 1947 forced him to retire. He had been told by doctors that he had a year to live. He moved to Florida in 1947, and live for almost another 50 years.75th Season
Bowser was interviewed in 1994 for the special 75 Seasons: The Story of the National Football League, produced for Turner Network TelevisionTurner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
by NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
. He was interviewed by Phil Tuckett. Tuckett later called Bowser "one of the easiest interviewees to work with."
To tie together the beginning and the present of the pro game, the NFL held a ceremony in which Bowser would stand next to the current NFL stars. The ceremony took place on first game of the 1994 season
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
in a game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
and the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
. It was decided that a Buccaneers' game would be the easiest for Bowser, now a resident of Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, to attend. The Buccaneers, went beyond just having Bowser on the field to turning the event into an appreciation ceremony for Bowser.
Oldest pro?
In the NFL Film 75 Seasons, Bowser was identified as the oldest living ex-NFL player. As it turned out, this wasn’t correct. Ralph HorweenRalph Horween
Ralph Horween was a professional American football player who played for the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League...
who played for the Chicago Cardinals in 1921-23 turned 100 in 1996. Neither Bowser nor the NFL, realized Horween was still alive.
Halls of Fame
- In 1979, Bowser was elected into the Bucknell University Athletics Hall of Fame.
- In 1973, he was inducted into the Ford CityFord City, PennsylvaniaFord City is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, northeast of Pittsburgh along the east bank of the Allegheny River and 4 miles south of Kittanning, the county seat....
Hall of Fame in 1973.
- In was he was inducted into the Armstrong CountyArmstrong County, PennsylvaniaArmstrong County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,941. It is located northeast of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Armstrong County was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003.The county seat is Kittanning...
Sportsman's Hall of Fame.
Family
Arda had five children: Marilyn B. Siff, Nevin G. Bowser, Robert S. Bowser, Ann Murphy and Thomas A. Bowser. His father was a BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister. At the time of his death, a memorial service was held at the Montgomeryville Baptist Church in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania
Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania
Montgomeryville is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 12,624 at the 2010 census....
, where Arda's father had been a pastor.